Daily Word Of God
Matthew 20:1-2, 8-13, 15-16
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day and sent them to his vineyard.
In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first.” So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner saying, “The men who came last have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.”
He answered one of them and said, “Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why should you be envious because I am generous?” Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- Jesus’ story about work, wages and welfare of workers also reminds us of the great injustice and inequality in our world where employment can be elusive and fraught with long hours, low wages and the like.
- Compare this with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard in which we see the extraordinary generosity and compassion of God, reminding us that He has opened His kingdom to everyone.
- As His disciples, do you use your abundant gifts and talents from God to serve others, especially the poor, needy and the like?